Snapchat reports that right now it has about 150 million daily active users worldwide. The company doesn’t break out how many of those users are in the United States, but eMarketer estimates that the app will have about 58.6 million monthly users in the U.S. in 2016.

But those numbers are set to change dramatically, according to the company’s research. The firm predicts that the company will see a 27.2 percent increase in user growth in 2016 and another 13.6 percent increase in 2017.

The report notes that growth will likely stabilize by 2018 with only “single-digit” increases as “the Snapchat audience is expected to be substantially larger than it is today.” Still, that’s a huge amount of growth for a company that is already outpacing Twitter and many other rivals.

Image: eMarketer

The report also predicts that Snapchat, once known for its predominantly teenage user base, will continue to grow in popularity among older users. The app’s U.S. user base is roughly 70 percent millennials right now, according to eMarkerter, but their share is set to go down to just 56 percent by the end of 2020.

That’s good news for Snapchat, which is widely believed to be eyeing an IPO for sometime in the not-so-distant future. But before that happens, the company still needs to prove it can reliably make money and a lot of it. And, as we’ve noted previously, if Snapchat hopes to realize those goals, it will need to both grow and diversify its user base.

Right now, the company makes the bulk of its revenue from advertising think sponsored lenses, geofilters and the adds you see in Discover and a bigger, more diverse set of users will certainly be a boon for both advertisers and Snapchat’s bottom line.

Correction: An earlier version misstated Snapchat’s current user base. The app has 150 million daily active users.

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Danish people keep the dishes they break and throw the shards at their friends’ houses on New Year’s Eve to make their friendships stronger.

About a year ago, violent storms hit the Houston area. When the floodwaters receded, Vroom, an online seller of used cars, discovered it had lost more than 100 vehicles, equal to about $3 million in sales. It was a reminder that the two-year-old Web startup faces some of the same challenges as a brick-and-mortar retailer.

Vroom is one of several companies seeking to consolidate the fragmented used-car market. But unlike rivals Beepi, Shift Technologies, and Carvana, which mostly connect buyers and sellers via online marketplaces, New York-based Vroom buys all of its cars, then refurbishes and guarantees themmuch the way a traditional dealer does.

Allon Bloch, the former venture capitalist who runs Vroom, says many Americans who are happy snapping up a $10 shirt online remain leery about going there to buy a car, typically the second-biggest purchase after a home. If a consumer spends tens of thousands of dollars on a car that theyll use for many hours every week and may own for years, we have to make sure the car is amazing both mechanically and cosmetically, says Bloch, who was a venture partner at VC firm Greylock Partners.

Traditional chains such as CarMax have helped improve the used-car buying experience. But many consumers still dread walking onto a dealers lot. Vroom and other used-car e-tailers say they remove the hassle and hard sell. All offer haggle-free pricing, free delivery, and returns within a limited period.

Americans buy 40 million pre-owned vehicles a year, yet CarMax, one of the largest players, has just 2 percent of the market. With plenty of room to grow, Vroom has raised more than $250 million in equity and debt from investors including General Catalyst Partners, Catterton, and John Elway, the former quarterback whos now general manager of the Denver Broncos, the 2015 Super Bowl champions. In 2015 investors poured more than $900 million into used-car e-tailers globally, almost double the amount from the prior year, according to CB Insights.

Vroom is betting it can win over consumers by combining traditional dealership service with the robust selection online shoppers have come to expect. The company specializes in accident-free, low-mileage cars. Its hard to find anything on its website manufactured before 2013. There are more than 35 brandsincluding, recently, an Aston Martin and a few Teslas.

Vroom developed its own logistics software to keep tabs on its inventory of as many as 4,000 vehicles. Bloch says the program helps the companys facilities in Dallas and Houston, where vehicles are inspected and prepped for sale, work as smoothly as a factory assembly line. Buyers get a 90-day warranty, seven days to return the car for a full refund, and one year of roadside assistance. Bloch says his prices are 8 percent lower on average than those of other dealers. After clicking Buy, a customer typically receives her car in less than a week.

Vrooms two facilities process a few hundred cars a day, using algorithms to figure out which vehicles should be loaded onto which truck to be delivered where. The company farms out half the deliveries, but in the next 12 months, Bloch plans to bring the whole operation in-house, so Vroom can move to 24-hour delivery. Of course, that means buying trucks, hiring drivers, and adding facilities, including one opening this year in Indianapolis.

Because its fixed costs are higher than most e-tailers and its prices are cheaper than those offered by traditional dealers, Vroom will need to move a lot of metal very efficiently to make money. The company says it sold tens of thousands of cars last year, generating about $900 million in revenue. Getting the cars out the door quickly is key, because their value depreciates every day they sit unsold. The longer it takes, says Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Kevin Tynan, the less Vroom makes and the less cash it has to buy more inventory or build out operations. Bloch declined to specify a timeline to profitability, saying the company is focused on investing in growth.

In April, another flood hit Houston. At 6 a.m. on a Monday morning, about two dozen Vroom employees braved the rains to move vehicles to higher ground. To identify the most high-risk cars and their locations, the workers consulted newly tweaked software. This time, Vroom lost only about a dozen vehicles.

The bottom line: Unlike rival marketplaces for used cars, Vroom buys and inspects all of the vehicles it lists for sale on its website.

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ABC does a lot of painstaking work to make look like a fairytale. They show us limos and helicopter dates, beautiful people with overprotective families whose biggest flaw is that they’re a single parent or have a glass of wine too many on camera. What they don’t show is the seedy underbelly: how producers provide copius booze and little food to get ‘the best’ storylines (re: drunk contestants), how short the ‘seasons’ actually are (they refer to each date taking place in a different ‘week’ which, lol, no), and how non-romantic and manufactured the whole process is. Read on for the juiciest behind-the-scenes insights I’ve gathered from the most loose-lipped members of #BachelorNation.

Before getting engaged, you spend ‘max 72 hours’ with the person you pick

“You spend so little time with the person you choose before the final rose ceremony. I would say you probably spend about 72 hours tops with the person you wind up choosing, and 12 of that is spent ‘sleeping’ in the fantasy suite. You can’t really get to know a person in that time frame.” — Ali Fedotowsky

Life after the show isn’t always that great

“I lost hair, got down to 92 pounds, and formed an anxiety disorder.” — Jillian Harris

Sometimes the bachelors are actually just assholes

“When we were in Panama, we visited a poor local village and hung out with the natives. It was cold and rainy that day, and we all infamously wore skimpy bikinis adorned with beautiful beads made by the tribal women (Ben wore a loincloth with nothing underneath). Well, all the ladies were cold and miserable but sucking it up. Ill never forget what Ben said right in front of these wonderful people, as we ate cold sandwiches in one of their huts, which had no indoor plumbing. I cant wait to get back to the hotel and take a hot shower and have a warm meal, he moaned. I was totally grossed out and he became so unattractive, I didnt care about getting a rose. I like these cold sandwiches, I shot back.” — Jamie Otis, Ben Flajnik’s season

The contestants really there ‘for the right reasons’

“People think, we’re desperate to find love, we have a hard time [dating] in real life, so we’re going to go on a reality show to find love? Give me a break.” — Sharleen Joynt, Juan Pablo’s season

“I go work the next day, and I realize working really sucks, and a free vacation sounds really good right now. So that was my motivation behind getting on The Bachelorette.” — Sean Lowe

Producers secretly ‘date’ the contestants

You need serious $$$ to be a contestant — you must bring 14 evening gowns with you

“I know that there are women in the past who cashed out their 401(k)s for the show… some have gone into serious credit card debt.” — Dana Weiss, fashion recapper

“I had re-mortgaged my house and I spent something like $8,000 on clothing” — Jillian Harris

“I’m the girliest of my friends, but when I joined The Bachelor, I was like, “I don’t even compare to these girls!” I met Michelle Money in Paradise, and when she arrived, she showed up with three suitcases full of makeup and accessories alone. It was all categorized and labeled in Tupperware. I was like, “What am I getting myself into?” I had a breakdown because the girls put so much effort into their appearance and I do not. It’s not my thing.” — Sarah Herron, Sean Lowe’s season

And you don’t get paid to be a contestant (though you do get something to be the bachelor/bachelorette)

“You dont do The Bachelor to make money, I will say that. There are opportunities post-Bachelor sometimes, but as the bachelor they really just match whatever youd be making in the real world during the months that it tapes. And then you have the experience that kind of pays for the rest.” — Ben Higgins

Producers don’t show un-romantic conversations — like those about religion and money

“I would never have proposed to Lauren if our faith wasnt talked about before our engagement. But I think I get it when I watch the show back. Yeah, itd be great to have that shown, but as far as the overall storyline, the overall storyline is that we fell in love, and thats a beautiful thing. And thats what was shown. But yeah, those conversations are definitely had, but a lot later. Not had with every woman there. They usually take place a couple weeks down the road.” — Ben Higgins

Getting a rose means making a fool out of yourself

“And the seven episodes I made it through were torture for me. I had zero friendsI was the unpopular outsider who never found a clique. I was scared and anxious and lonely. Ben barely knew I was alive and even the producers started giving up on me. Id never been a quitter so, as Courtney would say, I pulled on my big girl panties and decided to try hard one last time to capture Bens heart. Chris Harrison encouraged me to open up and in Bachelor terms that meant two things.

1. Open up about something traumatic 2. Do something sexual. Ben had already made out with everyone in our house, except for me. As we all know by now, this would be difficult because I was still the most awkward person on the planet sexually. But I wasnt a quitter and Ben didnt deserve Option No. 1 so I decided to go with Option No. 2.” — Jamie Otis, Ben Flajnik’s season

The psychological testing is actually insane

You have to stay together for two years after the show — or give up your Neil Lane diamond

“The Bachelorettes standard contract specifies that the ring remains the property of the shows producers unless the couple remains together for two consecutive years. They do not have to marry within that time period.” — Radar Online

The fantasy suite isn’t as sexy as it seems

“Its the first time that you can put your guard down in terms of just turning things off. Lauren and I sat in silence for the first time on our fantasy suite date. Having just even that night with her allowed me to see, like, I would just love to spend every night with her. I think theres a stigma behind the fantasy suite date thats sometimes correct, sometimes isnt, but really that is an important date. It should be a week during The Bachelor that fans look at and say, theres gonna be a lot that happens that can sway a decision.” — Ben Higgins

Producers make the girls redo their date looks to interview them after the fact

“They want to make it seem like we’re on that same location with a similar background, so they would tell me what my outfit was and what my hair and makeup was like and I had to do it. This was annoying when I wanted my hair to be straight for the night but had pickups during the day.” — Catherine Lowe, Sean Lowe’s season

Sometimes the bachelor/bachelorette decide long before the final rose ceremony

“There are a lot of special moments that the camera doesnt capture. My favorite was when Sean [Lowe] slipped me a note during our flight to St. Croix. He did it secretively so no one else could see. He had crossed out the destination on his airline ticket and written Snugglesville insteadletting me know he wanted to cuddle with me and no one else.” — Catherine Lowe, Sean Lowe’s season

The women still find time for… personal exploration

“Luckily, most of us had brought vibrators. Some of the girls would names their sex toys and sing songs about them when we were going to bed. I highly advise all future contestants to pack a vibrator. Youre going to need it!” — Lacy Faddoul, Juan Pablo’s season

The hometown dates aren’t always their actual homes

“I have heard that some people will do their hometown in a different house…like an uncles house or a rich grandfathers house.” — Andi Dorfman

You’re not allowed phones or internet access, or even magazines or books

“Well, you can’t leave the mansion or hotel you’re staying at. We’d sometimes get 30 minutes of gym time. Actually, there was one time they allowed us to get our nails done, and it was a big deal. There are these things called “dark days” on the day after the rose-ceremony taping. Rose ceremonies last until 4 a.m. or 6 a.m. so the next day is dark. One time, they allowed us to watch movie. Another time, we went to a spa and could get two things done.” — Catherine Lowe, Sean Lowe’s season

“When the cameras aren’t rolling, they don’t want you to talk to anyone. And there are no phones, computers, newspapers, nothing. Only producers. Your body becomes starved for a connection with anyone, which makes it easier to fall in love. You’re starving for that intimacy. It was like Stockholm syndrome, but it’s a TV show.” — Jillian Harris

Producers will try to make participants lose ‘undesirable’ accents

“Apparently they didn’t like my Canadian accent so they had me go to speech therapy, but after three or four classes, the producers realized I was losing my quirkiness so they cancelled the classes. I wasn’t offended because I was the show’s first out-of-country person. They were just afraid Americans wouldn’t be able to connect.” — Jillian Harris

Chris Harrison gives good beauty tips

“Chris Harrison, who became a good friend, taught me this one: Midol with caffeine. I’d take one on days that I was tired and bloated. It’s a diuretic. If my face was puffy, it would debloat me, and it has a painkiller so it made my feet feel better in heels. Now, before I go out at night, I’ll take one an hour before. It’s really no different from taking Advil.” — Jillian Harris

The tournaments stuffy image is disappearing as the All England Club tries to modernise and attract a younger, more diverse crowd to SW19

The stage is set. The actors primed. At Wimbledon everything has been Championship ready since last Saturday. The grass has been trimmed to precisely 8mm. The flowers are perky and flushed with life. And the food including 27,887kg of Kent strawberries is waiting to be plucked, packed and delivered. Now everyone is counting down to the moment that itchy tingle of anticipation morphs into a roar as Andy Murray steps on to Centre Court to defend his title and begin the 131st edition of the greatest tennis tournament in the world.

It seems scarcely believable that the first Wimbledon tournament was held in 1877. Or that it was only held so the All England Club could pay for the repair of the pony roller needed to maintain the lawns. The event attracted 22 players who paid one guinea to enter and the winner, Spencer Gore, received 12 guineas in prize money and a silver challenge cup. In 2017, the men and womens singles winners will pocket 2.2m each.

In the intervening 140 years, many of the traditions have stayed largely unaltered. Strawberries, for instance, are synonymous with Wimbledon because the early tournaments coincided with the short summer season. The insistence on predominately white clothes too. Of course its vibe, which describes itself as tennis in an English country garden, is still hugely successful. Yet it has also realised that tradition while important only gets you so far. And during the past decade or so, Wimbledon has quietly modernised, democratised and been lighter on its feet as it has moved into new markets.

I love the buzz of excitement on the first Monday of the Championships, he says. It just builds up throughout the morning. Then, just before the gates open, I do a traditional announcement to staff to remind them that this will be many peoples first experience at Wimbledon or, on the other hand, that they may have been returning for many years so we must make it as wonderful as possible for them. And then we are off!

Loosening the mood

Wimbledon has benefited more than most from the frenetic excitement generated by the four kings Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Murray, who in 2013 became the first home winner since Fred Perry, as well as Serena Williams, the finest woman to ever play the game. Few doubt that the 2008 final between Nadal and Federer, a 4hr and 48min epic of Cecil DeMille proportions, was the greatest match in history. But those things alone do not explain why it has maintained its place as the pre-eminent event of the summer sporting calendar, while Test cricket and others, have slipped back. Smart decisions by smart people behind the scenes have also loosened the mood, and made it less stiff and starched. You only have to mingle in the huge crowds on Henman Hill, happily pecking on picnics, to realise Wimbledon is attracting a younger and more diverse audience.

It wasnt always thus. The first days play on a middle Sunday in Wimbledons history, in 1991, was immediately dubbed Peoples Sunday which rather suggests the rest of the time was not as inclusive. Patrick Collins, one of Britains finest post-war sportswriters, even boycotted the Championships for 13 years because he felt those running the tournament believed that the public was lucky to be there.

Yet when Collins finally returned, he found the place had transformed with deference in retreat, a much finer appreciation from the audience of a game played to a staggering standard, and with the public regarded as guests rather than interlopers. As he put it: As one who rejected it for too many years, I sense I may owe it an apology.

Big decisions

Crucially Wimbledon appears to have got most of the big decisions right. When Test cricket and the Open golf went to Sky they became richer but also more peripheral. But the All England Club stayed loyal to the BBC and together they have mutually benefited. Our relationship with the BBC has been fundamental, says Lewis. They have done a fantastic job for us. I think were good for the BBC too, they would agree with that, I know. Its a partnership where its a classic win-win. Its really good for us, its really good for them.

The extent of that relationship with the BBC becomes clearer on a visit to the Wimbledon museum, where a special exhibition to mark the 90th anniversary together is under way. The first radio broadcast came in 1927, with commentary provided by the splendidly named Captain Henry Blythe Thornhill (Teddy) Wakelam. TV arrived in 1937, with a match between Bunny Austin and George Rogers, before broadcasting in colour 30 years later.

There were also some eyebrows raised when Wimbledon announced it was going to build a roof for Centre Court at a rumoured cost of 80m. But the passing of time and numerous rain delays since it was first used in 2009 have shown it to be a success. By 2019, when the new No1 Court roof is finished, roughly two-thirds of spectators will be able to watch live play, even on days when the rain is pelting down .

Lewis is slightly more guarded when asked why the Lawn Tennis Association, which Wimbledon helps fund, has not been able to bring through more successful British players. Rex Bellamy, the eminent former lawn tennis correspondent of the Times once observed: We know how to make money out of tennis players. If only we could make tennis players out of money and little appears to have changed given Murray and Jo Konta emerged from outside the system.

Does he really think that Wimbledon is getting a good return on its investment? Well, we have our role to play, which is to stage the Championships, he says. And being a governing body of the sport is not an easy role. But we are very comfortable with what we do, and the way the LTA invest our money.

Lewis is understandably a little vague on how security will alter given the recent spate of terror attacks in Britain but confirms that Wimbledon will be beefed up compared to previous years. There probably will be one or two visible changes around the park and the queue, he admits. I cant go into detail but we always enhance our security every year based on the latest information and tactics. Its something that has been high on our agenda for many years. Its the world in which we live in at the moment, unfortunately. Its not new but its getting more and more prevalent.

Trouble ahead?

Lewis is keen to stress Wimbledon is not just a two-week tournament, and is proud of the fact it has a 60-year history of raising money for charities through recycling tickets and reselling tennis balls. As he points out, since 2013 they have stepped up their efforts further with the launch of the Wimbledon Foundation, which has awarded 700,000 grants and donations to 96 organisations, many of them in the local London boroughs of Merton and Wandsworth.

Among the projects that have been funded are one-to-one counselling support for vulnerable women who have suffered domestic violence, and another that focuses on helping children aged 10-11 who are coping with trauma and difficult family circumstances. And as Helen Parker, Wimbledons Foundation and Community manager, explains, they have ambitious expansion plans. We try to help organisations that make a real difference to the lives of local people. But we also look internationally. For instance, we work with Magic Bus, a leading childrens charity that mentors children and parents from underprivileged backgrounds in India.

But ultimately Lewis knows Wimbledon is judged on the excitement and drama it provides over the two weeks.

After five years in charge at the All England Club, Lewis sees the game and Wimbledon in the rudest of health particularly with the No1 Courts roof on its way. Yet does he worry about bumpier times ahead when the top four of the mens game, as well as the Williams sisters, retire? Im sure therell be one or two years where the buildup will be: Oh, weve no longer got Serena and Venus, or Roger and Rafa, he says. But the reality is Ive seen this happen before. Everyone says: Oh, its the end of this era, it will never be the same again. But then fresh stars are born, and a different dynamic emerges.

We protect against any downsides by trying to make it a great event, one people always look forward to. And, most of all, by making sure the tennis is centre stage. Its all about the tennis and the great players we have.

Yes we are in a fantastic era theres no question about that, but I just think that tennis will go from strength to strength. And I sincerely believe and hope the same applies to Wimbledon.

For those cursing the unseasonable November chill, theres an ominous sign up north. It suggests this winter will be long and cold, according to one eminent scientist.

Hes the father of the Siberian Snow Theory. In a nutshell, he argues that the more snow covering the ground in northern Eurasia, the colder we can expect it down below. Sadly, Siberia is looking pretty white already.

Judah Cohen, a renowned MIT climatologist, has been working on this theory for 17 years, despite skepticism from some U.S. government weather experts. Cohen, who figures his theory has been right 75 percent of the time, spies all the makings of an early, cold winter.

This year, we have had this very textbook situation, Cohen said.

The first blast of Siberian-spurred cold could come in December this year, instead of the usual January, according to Cohen, director of seasonal forecasting at Atmospheric and Environmental Research,a unit of Verisk Analytics, which works with governments and financial-services and insurance companies.

While it isnt certain where the frigid air will land — North America, Asia or Europe — Cohen is predicting cold will envelop more of the U.S. than government forecasters expect. Cold, rain and snow could extend from the upper Great Plains to Florida.

Growing Eurasian snow cover, in million square kilometers, could mean a cold U.S. winter

Holiday travelers will hope he is wrong, as will retailers who rely on last-minute shoppers who could be deterred by snow and slush. But those who make money from natural gas, whose price dropped because of warm weather, may be in for a treat.

If he is right that would be terrific, said Teri Viswanath, managing director for natural gas at Pira Energy Group in New York. I hope hes right.”

Conflicting Forecasts

Viswanath isnt betting on it because of conflicting weather models. For example, the Tuesday forecast for Dec. 2 to Dec. 6 called for much of Canada and the eastern U.S. to be warmer than normal, according to MDA Weather Services in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Since he was a graduate student, Cohen, who grew up in Brooklyn, has explored the connection between snow in Siberia and weather throughout the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere.

Cohen charts a kind of chain reaction. Climate change melts ice in the Arctic Ocean, resulting in more moisture in the atmosphere. That leads to more snow covering Siberia, which reflects sunlight — and warmth — from the terrain.

This chill sends energy toward the Polar vortex, the vast weather system that traps cold air in the Arctic. As a result, the vortex breaks down, sending cold air south, as if a refrigerator door had opened.

1998 Fail

Stephen Baxter, a meteorologist and seasonal forecaster at the U.S. Climate Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, isnt convinced. In a conference call last week to discuss federal forecasts, he called the correlation between Siberian weather and the U.S. “weak.”

On the commercial forecasting side, Matt Rogers, president of Commodity Weather Group LLC, brings up the inconvenient fact of 1998. Blame El Nino, the periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean that often wreaks havoc with global weather.

That year, after that disruption, snow piled up in Siberia — but the U.S. winter was warm. Last year — the warmest winter on record in the contiguous 48 states, Cohens theory missed again because of El Nino.

So I think his Siberian-based prediction could work out, but a 1998 fail is still a huge risk, Rogers said.